A ground-breaking scheme that is helping young people with disabilities into the workplace with the support of a major county employer has been celebrated.

The Steps into Work project is a successful link up between EDF Energy at Barnwood and the National Star College for students with disabilities at Ullenwood, near Cheltenham.

The internship programme runs for nine months at EDF Energy. National Star students have a job buddy at EDF and become involved in a variety of tasks.

This is year five of the programme and EDF has had around 30 National Star students during that time.

The students' disabilities include visual impairment, cerebral palsy, autism, an acquired brain injury and learning difficulties. Interns work towards a Certificate in Employability Skills, an NVQ in Business Administration as well as English and maths, where applicable.

The interns engage in real projects ranging from the mail room and canteen to engineering and the supply chain. Students gain confidence and develop new skills.

It is estimated that for every £1 invested in Steps into Work the social return is valued at more than £7. The scheme has been rated "outstanding" by Ofsted and EDF Energy has received two awards for it from Business in the Community.

The mantra for those taking part is: Don't look at the problems, look at the solutions."

The latest intake of interns to complete the scheme successfully was celebrated at a special event last week

Guests were told that the EDF Energy scheme is now recognised internationally as best practice.

At present people with disabilities make up half of unemployed and economically inactive people in the UK. This is a tremendous waste of talent.

One of the successful EDF interns Joe Bentley explained how he had been working in engineering, booking cars and hotels and carring out a variety of tasks which had made him: "More confident, more outgoing and it had been a positive experience."

Bob Fenton, head of communications, EDF Energy Generation said: "We are hugely proud of the Steps into Work programme we have been running with National Star.

"It is a scheme that makes a real difference to the people who come to us - they are doing real work in a real office environment helping them prepare to get back into paid employment - in many cases staying here at Barnwood in our teams.

"It's a two-way thing too - we learn from them about what it is like to work at our offices, and by using their experience have made a number of changes to improve the accessibility of our workplace.

"Our people grow too - we see increased engagement and understanding about what it truly means to be a company that is committed to equality and diversity."

The Steps into Work programme has seen 83 per cent of National Star's participating interns go on to paid employment.

Nationally 47.8 per cent of working age people with disabilities are in employment compared with 76.4 per cent of working-age non-disabled people.

David Ellis, Chief Executive at National Star, said EDF Energy truly understand and value the diversity of skills people with disabilities bring to the workplace.

"One of the first Steps interns, who EDF Energy later employed, uses a power chair and has an assistance dog. The front door to offices in Barnwood was not automatic and she had to wait for people to let her in and out," he said.

"EDF Energy understood the importance of re-adjustment and independence and installed an automatic door so she could come and go like all her work colleagues. That is a true sign of their commitment to this programme."

Top, pictured at the event celebrating their  achievements are interns: Peter Davis, Ben Jeanes, Owen Williams, Jennie Goodrum, Dawn Green and Joseph Bentley.

Second picture: EDF Energy HR director generation Ann-Marie Robson (right) presents a certificate to successful intern Dawn Green.

Third picture: Bob Fenton, EDF Energy head of communications, speaking at the celebration event for the interns.

Lower picture: Anne-Marie Robson (right) congratulates intern Jennie Goodrum.